Latest New Sheriff, City Council Seats on Beaufort Ballot Tuesday
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BEAUFORT, SC · LOWCOUNTRY EDITION · SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2026
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Beaufort SC Politics & Government

Beaufort SC Politics & Civic News — Page 8

Covering Beaufort City Council, Beaufort County Council, South Carolina General Assembly, and your federal representatives in Washington, D.C. Accountability journalism for Beaufort County residents.

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Beaufort County sits inside one of the most layered governmental structures in the region. Residents answer to at least five levels of elected authority simultaneously: the federal government, statewide offices, Beaufort County Council, Beaufort City Council, and school district boards — each a separately elected body covering its own geographic slice of the county.

Beaufort’s federal delegation includes US Rep. Nancy Mace (SC District 1) and Senators Darline Graham and Tim Scott. In Columbia, Beaufort is represented by Sens. Margie Bright Matthews (District 45) and George E. "Chip" Campsen III (District 43) and Reps. Michael F. Rivers, Sr. (District 121) and Shannon S. Erickson (District 124).

Beaufort County Council controls property tax millage, land-use zoning outside city limits, and fee-in-lieu-of-tax agreements. Downtown zoning decisions and the Beaufort Police Department budget run through Beaufort City Council. State funding for schools, roads, and Medicaid flows from the South Carolina General Assembly. The Beaufort County Elections and Voter Registration Office administers local balloting under SC Election Commission oversight.

HERE Beaufort covers Beaufort County Council meetings, Beaufort City Council sessions, South Carolina General Assembly session, federal delegation votes and town halls, school board meetings, and candidate filing windows. We also pull FOIA-sourced travel records and contracts at both the city and county level. If it shapes how Beaufort County is governed, it’s HERE.

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NATIONAL 314 responses

What do you think: Turkey Moves Jailed PKK Founder Ocalan Within Island Prison?

Strongly support — this is overdue 31%
Cautious support — depends on the details 24%
Skeptical — need to see the cost first 18%
Oppose — not the right direction for Beaufort 27%
NATIONAL 200 responses

What do you think: Bass and Raman Tied as Los Angeles Mayor Race Ends?

Strongly support — this is overdue 40%
Cautious support — depends on the details 23%
Skeptical — need to see the cost first 18%
Oppose — not the right direction for Beaufort 19%
Political Coverage

Local & State Political News

Beaufort, Beaufort County, & South Carolina Capitol
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Stumbo and Hricik Square Off for SC Attorney General
Nov 1, 2026
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina voters will pick a new attorney general on Tuesday, and the two people on the ballot took very different roads to get there: a career prosecutor backed by sheriffs and a solo trial lawyer running on a shoestring. Republican David Stumbo has been solicitor for the 8th Judicial Circuit, which
Graham and Andrews Race to the Wire in SC Senate Contest
Nov 1, 2026
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A U.S. Senate seat that Republicans long treated as safe in South Carolina is heading into Tuesday as one of the closest-watched races in the country. Sen. Darline Graham, a first-time candidate, was appointed to the seat after her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, died of a torn aorta this summer, and she
New Sheriff, City Council Seats on Beaufort Ballot Tuesday
Nov 1, 2026
BEAUFORT, S.C. — Beaufort County will elect a new sheriff on Tuesday, Nov. 3, as Republican Doug Seifert and Democrat Alphonso Small Jr. meet at the top of a long local ballot that also covers county money, schools and city leadership. Inside the city, Grady Woods, Josh Scallate, Jared Madison and Thad E. Lane are
New Statewide Program Aims to Help Small SC Towns Run Better
Oct 31, 2026
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Small South Carolina towns and counties that run on a handful of employees will soon have a…
Beaufort County Voters Get Touchscreen Tips as Early Voting Ends
Oct 31, 2026
BEAUFORT, S.C. — As early voting wraps up Saturday, Beaufort County election officials are steering voters around two problems before…
Sheriff Helicopter to Fly Daufuskie Election Results to Beaufort
Oct 31, 2026
BEAUFORT, S.C. — Votes cast on Daufuskie Island should reach Beaufort County election headquarters much sooner on Tuesday night, because…
Early Voting Enters Final Two Days in Beaufort County
Oct 30, 2026
BEAUFORT, S.C. — Beaufort County voters who want to skip the Election Day lines are down to their last two…
Seven Beaufort County School Board Seats Go to Voters Nov. 3
Oct 30, 2026
BEAUFORT, S.C. — Voters in Beaufort and across Beaufort County will fill seven of the seats on the county school…
Elected Officials

Your Beaufort Reps

Every official with a vote on Beaufort's future — pulled live from our roster.

SC State Senate — Beaufort County
State Senate
Margie Bright Matthews
State Senator
District 45
D
State Senate
George E. "Chip" Campsen III
State Senator
District 43
R
SC House of Representatives — Beaufort County
State House
Michael F. Rivers, Sr.
State Representative
District 121
D
State House
Shannon S. Erickson
State Representative
District 124
R
US Congress — SC
US House
Nancy Mace
US Representative
SC District 1
R
US Senate
US Senate
Darline Graham
US Senator
South Carolina
R
US Senate
Tim Scott
US Senator
South Carolina
R
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Beaufort is in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Mayor, City of Beaufort: Phil Cromer; Chair, Beaufort County Council: Alice Howard.

Latest Beaufort Politics News — Page 8

  1. Beaufort Elections Chief Rejects Ballot Mark Claim

    BEAUFORT, S.C. — Beaufort County elections director Jean Felix on Tuesday rejected a social media rumor that poll staff will scribble on ballots and knock those sheets out…

  2. Early Vote Rallies Set Saturday in Bluffton and Hilton Head

    Hilton Head Island, S.C. — Two local Indivisible chapters — Lowcountry and Okatie — will stage Vote Early gatherings Saturday, Oct. 17, in Bluffton and on Hilton Head…

  3. Trump Says Massive Oil and Mineral Push Ready in Greenland

    WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that large-scale oil, gas and mineral exploration is about to start in Greenland, linking the Arctic island to U.S. energy and…

  4. Judge Keeps CNN, Politico and MS NOW at White House

    WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the White House to keep letting journalists from three national news outlets into the complex while their lawsuit over a…

  5. Ukraine Says SpaceX Capped Military Starlink Speeds

    KYIV — Ukrainian officials said Wednesday that SpaceX imposed an unannounced speed limit on military Starlink terminals traveling at high speeds, disrupting several combat missions overnight. Presidential adviser…

  6. Trump Urges Alaska Voters to Back Incumbent Dan Sullivan

    WASILLA, Alaska — At a Wasilla campaign rally Tuesday, President Donald Trump urged Alaskans to support incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan, calling him the real Dan Sullivan in a…

  7. Early Vote Rallies Set Saturday Across Beaufort County

    BEAUFORT, S.C. — Lowcountry Indivisible and Okatie Indivisible will host Vote Early events Saturday, Oct. 17, in Bluffton and Hilton Head Island to urge Beaufort County residents to…

  8. Annie Andrews Hears Insurance and Housing Worries in Beaufort

    BEAUFORT, S.C. — Dr. Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in South Carolina, brought her campaign to Beaufort this week, meeting with voters at the Beaufort…

  9. Candidates and Rallies Fill Beaufort County Campaign Calendar

    Beaufort, S.C. — With the Nov. 3 general election three weeks away, candidates and party groups have lined up appearances across Beaufort County this week and next. Tuesday,…

  10. Economy tops midterm issues as voters weigh Trump record

    WASHINGTON — With less than a month until Election Day, the economy is the dominant issue for midterm voters, and a new national voter panel shows Americans across…

  11. Hilton Head, S.C., roads tied to Beaufort penny tax

    Hilton Head, S.C. — Beaufort County voters will decide Nov. 3 on a proposed 1% sales tax that county officials say could generate roughly $780 million across nine…

  12. Beaufort, S.C., voters face $780M road penny tax

    Beaufort, S.C. — On Nov. 3, county voters will decide whether to add a penny sales tax on most retail purchases to pay for road and safety work…